Bennet secures energy-assistance help for low-income Coloradans

WASHINGTON — Colorado will receive $50 million in low-income energy assistance money from the federal government thanks to efforts pushed by a bipartisan group of Senators, including Sen. Michael Bennet, to extend block grants that will go to help the poor.

Bennet and his colleagues urged the extension of $1.6 billion from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in low-income energy help through September 2011 to help families struggling with cold weather and high energy bills.

“The recent snow storms and freezing temperatures we’ve experienced in Colorado this week are a reminder that reliable heating is not something we should take for granted,” Bennet said. “Families that are working hard to make ends meet as we recover from this difficult economy shouldn’t have to choose between the grocery bill and the heating bill.”

The federal dollars are disbursed through Colorado’s Low-Income Heating Assistance Program within the state Department of Human Services. Last week alone in Colorado, 108,219 households applied for help to pay their heating bills through the program.

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Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.